This tiny kitchen in south Minneapolis is only 9’x9′, so it was critical to maximize every inch of it.  Our clients goals were to modernize the space, add storage and counter space, and improve the ventilation to exhaust cooking odors to the outdoors.  As a busy growing family with 2 working parents, easy cleaning and minimal maintenance were important as well.

DESIGN & PLANNING

Naturally our client wished for all of today’s modern appliances and conveniences, so our design team was challenged to cram everything into this tiny space.  Great collaboration between our designer and appliance company led to some great space-saving choices.  Fully custom cabinets were specified in order to make use of every inch of space.  Numerous special storage features were incorporated into the cabinets.  In addition, European-style frameless cabinets were specified to allow every inch of cabinet to be used for storage.  Careful collaboration between the plumber, cabinet company, and project manager allowed for some custom drawers to be built under the kitchen sink.

HIGHLIGHTS & FEATURES

The white-finished cabinets have a premium finish on them to keep them easy to clean.  Our client wished for concrete countertops because she loved the look of them.  However, when she found out about sealing and maintaining them, she was a bit dejected.  Corian quartz countertops in Dove Gray Leathered provided the look she craved with minimal maintenance.  A pull out trash drawer keeps the rubbish bin out of sight.  The dishwasher includes a cabinet panel to keep the room from looking too chopped up.  Under-sink drawers were custom built to fit around the plumbing but provide much-needed storage.  Our client opted for a smaller-than-usual sink in order to maximize the counter space.  Our mechanical contractor ran  ducting for the exhaust fan, so the fan will actually pull odors out of the room instead of just recirculating them.  Due to site conditions, some of this ductwork needed to be run through the cabinet above the microwave, so our carpenters crafted a little chase to conceal the ductwork.  Luxury vinyl sheet flooring provided the old-school look that our client wished for, along with a lower cost and easier maintenance than tile.

OOPS

As mentioned above, our client wished for countertops that looked like concrete, and Corian Quartz in Dove Gray Leathered looked perfect.  Unfortunately Eric put Storm Gray on the order form instead of Dove, and the counters were already installed before the mistake was realized.  So naturally, we replaced the countertops with what we had promised originally.  An expensive mistake to be sure, but it was the right thing to do.  Both colors look great in this kitchen. Which do you like better?

MAIN LEVEL UPDATES

A few months after the kitchen was completed, we were privileged to be invited back to finish off the main floor.  Updates included a new bathroom floor that matched what we did in the kitchen.  At some point in time, the tray ceilings were covered with knockdown texture.  After thorough testing to make sure that the texture wasn’t hazardous, it was scraped off.  The ceilings were then sealed, skim coated, sanded, primed, and painted back to what they would have looked like originally.  The old oak doors and trim were painstakingly cleaned, prepped, primed, and painted white.  80 years of age were sanded from the hardwood floors, which were then refinished with a natural polyurethane finish.  The old door hinges and heat registers were stripped of a million layers of old paint and re-painted.  After we were finished, the clients put a fresh coat of paint on the walls.

Designer:  Chris Albrecht

Project Manager:  Eric Bader

This complete home remodel includes a full kitchen & bathroom remodel.  In addition, the entire home received hardwood floors and a fresh coat of paint.

KITCHEN REMODEL

Our clients’ primary goal was to update the kitchen.  Several appliances didn’t even work anymore, and lack of good storage space meant that they had to keep pots and pans hanging from a rack on the ceiling.  In addition, our clients had set up numerous racks and carts for additional storage.

The new kitchen features plenty of storage in the custom maple cabinetry.  The durable Cambria quartz countertops are flanked by a natural butcher block peninsula for a variety of textures to keep things visually interesting.  After multiple plumbing and electrical updates, the space was drywalled and painted.  New stainless appliances and luxury vinyl flooring finish the space.  Fully custom overhead, under-cabinet, and task lighting ensures that all work areas are illuminated.

BATHROOM

In the bathroom, our clients wished for a luxurious and classic feel for the space.  A unique custom cabinet package is topped with Cambria quartz countertops.  Luxury vinyl flooring mimics the look of reclaimed barnwood.  The white subway tile and chrome fixtures offer a timeless and classic elegance.

OTHER CUSTOM TOUCHES

In addition, the carpeting was removed from the entire home, which revealed some beautiful original hardwood flooring.  The wood flooring was painstakingly refinished to its original beauty.  While we had the home emptied out, all walls and ceilings were patched and painted.  Our carpenters created a new mantle above the fireplace, and new pillars along the staircase.

TESTIMONIAL

“I started out just remodeling a little bit and ended up doing my whole upstairs. That includes my entire kitchen, new cabinets, new floor, tile, new refrigerator, stove, the whole ball of wax. Fully new floors, the entire thing painted. And then I had hardwood floors. I had carpeting and that got ripped out and there were hardwood floors underneath and they ended up just processing that, grinding it down and then staining it. Stain and poly. Replacing boards and they had to do everything to code. I got a new fan in my family room, a fan with a light. Plug-in and new lights all over the place because everything has to be to code now.

Everything was fantastic. Well, basically, what I want I got. It wasn’t like some of these other people that came because we were looking to remodel our house and they were giving their ideas not our ideas. These guys went hand in hand what I want I got, period. It wasn’t where, we had this other guy where he says no, you should do this and move that and blah, blah, blah. That’s not what we wanted to do.
I would use them again.”

— Joe & Christine, Apple Valley MN

This project touched every room of this 2-level townhome in Inver Grove Heights.  A full kitchen remodel highlights the changes.  In addition, the bathrooms were remodeled along with other custom touches.

KITCHEN

Our kitchen designer did a great job with very limited space in this tiny kitchen.  Full-height upper cabinets provide extra storage and eliminate dust collection space above the upper cabinets.  The refrigerator was moved from next to the range to an adjacent corner, which eliminated an unused desk and added much-needed countertop space.  The awful florescent lighting was replaced with dimmable LED recessed lights.   White cabinets, granite countertops, and a glass tile backsplash work perfectly with stainless appliances.  Kitchen Design by Chris Albrecht.

MASTER BATH

A full remodel of the master bath wasn’t in the budget, but we were able to make some nice changes.  The builder grade cabinets were replaced with beautiful maple cabinets with a marble countertop.  A custom matching mirror was built, and a new shower door makes the original shower feel bigger than it really is.

POWDER ROOM

Our client has declared the powder room to be her favorite room in the house.  The beachy feel is accomplished by a gray furniture style cabinet, sea green walls, and vinyl plank flooring that mimics the look of reclaimed wood.  A quartz countertop with integrated sink is a breeze to clean.

LAUNDRY ROOM

This room was clearly an afterthought by the original builder.   In addition to housing the furnace, water heater, and softener, this is also where the washer and dryer are located.  All of this in a space the size of a small walk-in closet!  To make the most of this little space, our team re-purposed an old kitchen cabinet and some wire shelving from another closet.  New appliances, paint, and vinyl plank flooring make this room more functional and less dreary than before.

OTHER TOUCHES

All of the interior doors were replaced with 3-panel solid oak doors.  In addition, a closet in the loft area received a dramatic rolling barn door of reclaimed wood.  The antiquated gas fireplace was replaced with a safe modern model.  The kitchen, bathrooms, laundry, and entryway received luxury vinyl plank flooring.  Other rooms received new carpet and the entire home was painted.  The entry door and storm door were replaced with new, energy efficient models that meet the townhome association requirements.

TESTIMONIAL

“Thank you so much for the beautiful job you did on our kitchen and baths remodel.  We appreciated your timeline (finishing before deadline) and your cleanliness.

Thank you also for accommodating our little tweaks here and there to give us our fantastic updated kitchen. (Love the recessed lights!).”

🙂 Kari & Kevin, Inver Grove Heights MN

This townhome in Inver Grove Heights had been a rental and was horribly worn out.  Our client tasked us with cleaning it up so that it could be put on the market.  Our project manager coordinated numerous trades to get the home ready for sale.  Our updates included a thorough cleanup, lighting, paint, new carpet, and even junk removal.

This main-level remodel included a full kitchen and bath remodel, as well as new flooring, doors, and other touches throughout the home.

KITCHEN

The hickory cabinets are the highlight of this kitchen.  They provide a rustic beauty that a modern painted cabinet just can’t match.  Naturally we included soft close doors and drawers, along with plenty of storage.  Corian solid surface countertops have a very subtle pattern that doesn’t compete with the hickory.  The ceramic tile backsplash is a unique style that our client really liked.  After removing the overhead soffits and gutting the room to the studs, our team completely updated the plumbing, wiring, and insulation before putting things back together again.  Our team also removed an old railing system that cramped the space.

BATHROOM

A giant soaking tub with Corian solid surface shower walls provides a comfortable place to relax.  Hickory cabinets and porcelain tile floor look great.  The wall between the bathroom and an adjacent bedroom was sound-proofed to allow one family member to sleep in while the other gets ready in the morning.

OTHER TOUCHES

The main level received a beautiful porcelain tile floor, which really ties the space together.  The old hollow core doors were replaced with solid-oak 4-panel doors.  Walls were painted with a beautiful matte finish from Hirshfields.  An additional bathroom received new fixtures.

DESIGNER

Chris Albrecht

PROJECT MANAGER

Eric Bader

This home remodeling project in Woodbury MN includes the full remodel of the master bathroom, a second bathroom, and some facelift work in the kitchen.

Most of this project takes place in the master bathroom.  A large, unused corner bathtub and tiny shower were removed to make space for a spacious master shower.  The new shower features “his and her” ends with features for each of our clients.  “Her” end includes a handshower and a bench seat.  “His” end is simpler with a nice shower head and room for storing shampoo bottles.  The shower also features an accent stripe of the floor tile and a custom glass enclosure.

The master bath also includes a new wood-plank look tiled floor, furniture style vanity, marble countertop.  New mirrors, lighting, paint and accessories finish the space.

The second bathroom is primarily used by the children.  It includes a new tile floor and vanity, as well as paint, lighting, and accessories.

In the kitchen, the existing cabinets were painstakingly painted with a custom distressed finish.  Silestone quartz countertops and a new sink and faucet complete the kitchen remodel.

Our clients vision was simple:  They wanted a home that looked like time stood still in the 1950’s.  Our design challenge was to find modern materials and methods that looked like they belonged in the ’50s.

To improve traffic flow, the load-bearing wall between the dining room and living room was opened up to create a custom arched passthrough.  In addition, an oddly placed dining room door was blocked off.

The bedrooms, hallway, and dining room had beautiful wood floors, which were refinished.  Our wood floor team did an amazing job in utilizing a durable modern finish that mimics the old shellac-and-wax floors of yesteryear.

The living room received cork flooring that is a very close match to some of the original flooring, which was discovered under some old carpet in a closet.  In addition, the wood fireplace was cleaned and restored.  A new mosaic tile hearth transitions to the cork.

Most of the work on this project took place in the kitchen.  Custom cabinets were built to perfect pair with some of the existing cabinetry.  Laminate countertops with metal edge banding look like they came straight from an old diner.  Our client found an old photo of a half-moon shaped flip up counter, which we were able to duplicate.  The kitchen floor is genuine linoleum and features several hand-inlaid patterns.  The design of the floor was from a photo that our clients took in an architecture museum in New York.

New Marvin windows and a complete paint job finished off this project.  Our clients did a great job in finding furnishings that complete the retro look.

This project touched every single room of this 4-level split in Little Canada MN.

Highlights include:

Full remodels of two bathrooms

Partial remodel of a third bathroom

Painting of all walls and ceilings in the entire home

New floorcovering in every room of the home, including carpet, vinyl, and tile

Updated lighting

Since our clients were living in the home throughout the project, we decided to perform the transformation in two phases:  First the lower two levels, and then the upper two levels.  A furniture moving company was hired to relocate our clients belongings prior to each phase, and again at the completion of all of the work. At the conclusion of the project, our professional cleaning team removed all traces of dust and remodeling residue.

Our designer worked tirelessly with the clients to perfect all of the numerous choices in flooring, tile patterns, and paint colors.  She even helped our client hang her pictures and artwork.  Since each room of the home was touched by the project, careful consideration was given to how the different colors and textures work together.

Among the challenges that were faced and overcome:  A hidden mouse infestation that required much disinfectant and odor-blocking primer, An alarm system installation that had wires snaked where our hardwood floors needed to go, and a sensitive fire alarm that was set off during a wood cutting operation (You’ll be glad to know that the Little Canada Fire Chief is a nice fellow).

TESTIMONIAL

“Eric and Ruth Bader presented a personal, professional and competent response to the project that I proposed to them.  Never did I sense reluctance or unwillingness to adjust or modify what I wanted done.  Their suggestions were also made with an understanding of my needs and the outcomes that I wanted.

They have assembled a quality team of trades-people who were friendly, professional, and competent.

Over the 2-1/2 months of work, I felt my home and the project were in good hands.  I appreciated that all the work was supervised, double checked for perfection, and generally completed on schedule.  Thanks for a job well done!”

Alice, Little Canada MN

This complete home remodeling project in Woodbury MN includes a full kitchen remodel with a separate wet bar and butlers pantry.  The cabinetry is all custom.  Most of the cabinets are an off-white enameled finish, with the massive island in maple with an espresso stain finish.  Granite countertops and a subway tile backsplash provide the working surfaces.  The stainless appliance package includes a drawer microwave in the island, as well as a wall oven with doors that open to the side, allowing our client easy access.  Custom LED undercabinet lighting and in-cabinet lighting provide plenty of illumination on the work surfaces and help to show off treasures.

In the family room, we refurbished the existing gas fireplace, and added custom cabinets, a stone surround, and a solid hearthstone.

Carpet was removed in a living room and dining room, and these rooms received new hardwood flooring, which was seamlessly integrated into the existing adjacent hardwood flooring.  The new and existing floors were completely refinished throughout the entire home.

In addition to new and upgraded lighting, the entire home received freshly painted ceilings, walls, and trim.

Upstairs, three smaller closets were torn down and converted into one large master closet, with a built-in washer and dryer for convenience.  A custom closet system makes great use of the storage space.

This project touched every room of the home:  full kitchen and bathroom remodels, as well as new doors, trim, and flooring throughout.  In addition, the popcorn ceiling texture was removed and new knockdown texture was applied, followed by fresh paint on all of the walls and ceilings.

This Inver Grove Heights kitchen still had all of it’s original 1978 parts.  A full gut and remodel included plumbing and electrical upgrades.  The soffit was removed to allow full-height cabinetry and maximize the storage space.  Oak cabinets and Cambria countertops look great and will hold up for many years.

The bathroom tub/shower features two recessed niches and two corner shelves for storage, porcelain tile with a stone and copper inlay, and a deep soaking tub for a relaxing soak after a hard day.  A custom oak vanity provides plenty of storage and is topped with Cambria quartz.  The heated tile floor feels great on a cold winter day.  Custom touches include “floating” wood shelves and a custom robe hook rack.

In the living room, we replaced the sooty wood fireplace with a clean gas fireplace, custom cabinetry, stone surround, and marble tile hearth.  A custom mission-style guardrail surrounds the stairway to the basement.

The entire home received numerous lighting upgrades, including custom lighting in the glass-front cabinets, undercabinet lighting in the kitchen, and recessed lighting with dimmer switches.

TESTIMONIAL

“The job took six weeks and it could not have gone smoother. We were updated with each step and things moved quickly. We would like to personally thank you for the outstanding job that Allrounder did on remodeling our home.  We could not be more pleased with the professionalism from everyone who helped along the way.  We extend our compliments to Eric, who did an outstanding job keeping us informed as we went along.  We LOVE our new space and showing it off.  We look forward to the opportunity to work with you on our next project.”

–Kevin & Ann, Inver Grove Heights MN